State Leaders Agree Higher Ed Should Be Priority

Monday, November 27th 2006, 8:03 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma leaders agree today with a national report's conclusion that more college graduates are needed to allow the United States to prosper in a global economy.

A report released by a commission to the National Conference of State Legislatures says the U-S system of higher education is no longer the best in the world.

It says reform and more funding is needed, including a well-balanced student aid program, to address what the panel called a crisis in higher education.

The report says colleges and universities in other countries are outperforming the U-S, while tuition and fees are skyrocketing in this country and financial aid and loan programs are not keeping up.

The report says that for every 100 ninth graders who enter high school, only 18 finish college within six years.

Governor Brad Henry says that he is thankful the commission sees what he calls an urgent need for higher education to be more affordable and accessible.